Imprisoned
by Hermioneoftherealworld
Summary: Four weeks ago, a strange energy spike shook the TARDIS. Now, whatever caused it is crying out for help. The mystery of whatever the temporal anomaly is draws the Doctor and Donna to Lussonia, a planet of scientific progression at any cost. [Might raise rating later]
1. Chapter 1

**Imprisoned**

 **Author's Note: The last time I wrote a fanfiction, I thing I was in middle school and had just hopped on the Twilight bandwagon. I desperately hope I have matured in both my writing and in taste since then, but I suppose that will be for you all to judge. Though I am new to the Doctor Who fandom, I have pretty much thrown myself headfirst into the legacy, entrenched between stacks of Classic Doctor Who lore and tales and the New Who episodes and stories. With that in mind, please enjoy my debut Doctor Who fic and let me know if I unintentionally get something incorrect about anything canon. This story, like all of my others, is written without a beta.**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who. In fact I hardly own any merchandise, yet… Yet.

* * *

 **Chapter One: The Anomaly**

Normal, that's how these things always start out, right? The Doctor had landed her on the planet of Triderra Seven in the midst of a rebellion five days prior. Her thief and his current companion had long since disembarked and entangled themselves firmly within yet another political struggle. The peoples of M'ooria, Kermilo, and Zendurri'i had lived reasonably well under a strict caste system with the Kermilons firmly enslaved, the M'oorians crafting and selling their wares, and the Zendurri'i reigning over the lot. Three years before the current time, an underground movement that had begun amongst the Kermilon people burst, quite literally, into a semi-violent uprising. They demanded equality amongst all races, some M'oorians saw reason to agree, and the Zendurri'i saw no reason at all to allow such a thing. Suffice to say, it has been a long and bloody affair that needed a resolve. Her Doctor just so happened to volunteer.

With a low hum, the TARDIS considered her thief's latest companion. She was good, the one called 'Donna'. She was strong and independent, but cared enough to stop the Doctor when he needs it, and oh how he needed it. Her time rotor shuddered at the thought of the Time Lord Victorious. Her poor thief… He lost his people, his planet, his childhood friend, and his Rose. _Their_ Rose. He had been so very broken, and the replacement—Martha, as she was known—though smart and quite qualified as a healer, she sought far more than either the Doctor or herself would willingly give. This new one, though, she sought no more than adventure and friendship. She helped distract from the pain. Yes, she was a good one indeed.

Suddenly, a tremor wracked the ship. Four weeks ago, the TARDIS had felt a disturbance in time, yet the timelines quickly smoothed themselves out, though mildly altered. The changes, however, were minor enough to be overlooked, even if they felt _off_. Whatever had caused those changes was now flaring, calling out for help. No, not calling, whatever it was— _whoever_ it was—was howling in agony, a point in the timeline burning.

The TARDIS was well aware of how poorly negotiations were going, despite her Doctor's continued persistence otherwise. Really though, some things were more important to the passage of Time and whatever _this_ was is urgent indeed.

Not one to ignore such a desperate appeal, the timeship reached out to her thief…

Only to be mentally brushed off.

Well, if _that_ was how he was going to be…

* * *

"No. Absolutely not. I refuse to lead an armed battalion into the capitol. This can be sorted out peacefully and _you_ will _not_ do anything of the sort of brash displays your troops keep hinting at."

"But, Sir—"

"I'm the Doctor, J'huii, not an officer. Do not call me sir. I have always hated that title and will never answer to it. Now, you will listen to this frankly magnificent plan of mine that I've figured out due to my frankly magnificent brain… Well, that and observing how Nishionne Bats plant their young in the poor Tümbla nests. Really clever species, them. Now where was I? Oh yes!"

Donna sighed from her seat in the corner of the brilliantly named "War Room." Real witty, that. She and the Doctor had been on this oppressively humid planet for nearly a week now. Yet, despite their best efforts, not a single one of the three races were willing to budge in their positions. They had nearly been arrested by the Zendurri'I for _daring_ to suggest granting Kermilons freedom, much less citizenship; the people of Kermilo denied any compromises resulting in them being considered anything but full-fledged members of the state; and the damned M'oorians had quickly declared neutrality from the whole conflict, deciding to capitalize on the hostile environment by ratchetting up tension between the parties and selling supplies, food, arms, and munitions to both sides at elevated prices. _Bloody dolts, the lot of them._ As it was, however, she and Spaceman over there were holed up in a hidden bunker in the middle of some godawful marsh _trying_ to peacefully negotiate a treaty between everyone.

Having zoned out on whatever the Doctor had been babbling on about, she almost didn't notice when he had finally shut his gob had he not also violently cringed, his hands shooting to his head.

"Argh!" he exclaimed, his face in a sharp grimace as he hunched over in pain.

As if it were an automatic reaction—and if she were being honest, it might well becoming one—the ginger was at his side, her hand on his back. "Doctor? Doctor, what was that? Are you okay?"

With his hands pressing hard against his temples, the Doctor staggered back a step. "Guh…" the Time Lord shook himself. "Y—," he cleared his throat and tried again. "Yes, Donna, I'm alright. I'm always alright," he coughed.

"Oh really? Then mind sharing with me what exactly all that was about?"

"Oh, you know, just my ship being a little insistent." The Doctor straightened up and threw a glance at J'huii who had been so startled by the man's sudden fit, he froze. Turning his attention to the alarmed native, he apologized, "So sorry about that. It seems I have come down with a bit of a headache. Mind if I pop out for a bit of fresh air for a mo'? Shouldn't take too long to clear my head. Triderran swamp fumes are famous for their mental defogging uses, after all! Although with as large as my brain is, it might take a bit after all… Soon as I get back, we can continue planning. Ta!" With that, the Doctor grabbed hold of his companion's wrist and pulled her swiftly past the confused alien and out of the room.

"Doctor?" Donna called out as she was yanked down the narrow hallways of the fortified shelter. She was ignored. "Oi! Doctor!" He continued his brisk pace, effortlessly weaving his way through the maze of corridors. "Oi! Spaceman!" She yanked hard, wrenching her arm free, the momentum being enough to force the Time Lord to spin and face her. "What was all that about, then? You told me Time Lords don't get sick. Superior biology and all that rubbish you keep spouting off. What's going on?"

The Doctor sighed and gave her a levelled gaze. "Somethin's wrong. My reaction in there was just the TARDIS making a point of how important that something is. Now, please, come on!"

"So what? We're jus' gonna leave in the middle of negotiating an attack?" Donna retorted, confused.

The Doctor started walking again. "Time machine, remember? We'll just pop back in once we've cleared whatever this is all up and no one will be any the wiser."

They had finally exited the bunker, stepping into the thick, fumy air that overwhelmed the swamp.

"Gah… I hate the smell out here," Donna mumbled as she trudged along behind him.

"Oh don't be that way, it's not like it was a particularly long walk." He smiled irritatingly, widely gesturing to the blue box nestled in a sizable outcropping of stone.

"Oh shove off and let's get out of this heat. It's making me feel nauseous," the ginger complained.

"As you wish." With that, the Doctor flung open the doors of the TARDIS and the pair stepped inside.

Chaos could be one word Donna could use to describe what exactly greeted them. Various lights flashed reds, greens, and blues all over the console; alarms and alerts rang and buzzed; a few things she was fairly sure weren't supposed to be doing anything were sparking or smoking. Seemingly right at home, and being honest, why would she expect him to not be, the Doctor slid around the time rotor. He slipped his glasses on and pulled a few levers, flipped a few switches, at least silencing most of the noise. "Yes, yes, I'm here now. Was that really necessary though," the man muttered to his ship. The lights flickered brightly in response. "Fine, fine, fine. Com'mon, old girl. What seems to be the problem here?" He squinted at a few of the monitors. "Well… that _is_ strange," he finally announced in a gleeful tone. "Donna, come look at this."

Donna, at this point used to his flair for the dramatic and love of a good mystery circled around to console to see what was on the screen. A few graphs were displayed, presenting different energy levels over the past three months. Overall, the bars and points seemed fairly uniform for each chart, but two spikes clearly stood out in each diagram. "What is all this supposed to mean exactly?"

"Notice how the levels all spike here and here?" the Doctor pointed to the two peaks. "That first spike happened a few weeks ago. Remember when the TARDIS shook and the bookshelf in your room fell over? This is what seems to have caused that. As for this one," he motioned to the more recent elevation. "Now whatever caused _that_ is what she wants us to look into. I haven't seen such a high reading in _years_!" he gushed excitedly. "Shall we go check it out?" He turned his eyes back to his companion with a jubilant grin, his eyes sparkling with the promise of adventure and a new puzzle.

The ginger woman snorted and rolled her eyes. He was absolutely _mad_ , this one, but she let a smile unfurl on her face. "Well, duh," she agreed. "Do you have any more information than that?"

"Not a bit! The surprise is half the fun!" And with a laugh, the Doctor pulled a lever, sending the pair of time travellers hurtling through the vortex.

* * *

"The tests have returned inconclusive again, Sir."

"How can they be inconclusive _every_ time, Ferrin? If we don't make headway with the project soon, not only will we not be able to present at the festival, but the Tuunga will cut our funding on this assignment as well. I just know we can crack this puzzle if we just push a little harder."

The one called Ferrin looked up from his charts with a concerned expression. "But, Sir, forgive me, but I don't think the patient can take much elevation to the force of the experiments. It's getting violent and, if I were to be so bold as to make an observation, I do not believe that that which houses the entity is in control of it any longer. The patient's mental state seems to have receded to the point of basic bestial behaviour."

"Then bestial they shall be. Whatever is housed within Patient 2145636 can change everything, we only need to learn how to access it. We _must_ make progress, Ferrin. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Please review if you liked the beginning. I don't know how soon I will be posting the second chapter because I'm a moron and decided to restart writing fanfiction in the middle of finals week. Yay college! *facepalm* Let me know what you think and feel free to give me opinions and ideas for how I can improve either the story or the characterization. Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Okay so finals week is over, I've moved back home for the summer, I am in the midst of changing majors from architectural engineering to something completely different. Different major, different school, and no time to actually research very much at all. Soooooo fun. Since I'm changing majors, I had to turn in the computer I was using because it was part of a scholarship I received for said major. Until I fork up the money for a new one, (which I plan on doing as soon as possible,) I'm stuck using my old one I got seven years ago and haven't opened in two years. (It's still running Windows XP to give you an idea of what I'm working with.) Updates will likely be slow until I get a new laptop, but I'll try to maintain a schedule as much as possible. Once I have a proper laptop, I'll try to update at least weekly. Thank you so much for putting up with me.**

 **As a side note that I should have put in chapter one, this story takes place mid-season 4, before the events of 'Silence in the Library'. I am pretty much taking what has happened up until that point and then spinning off into my own little AU. Now onto the story!**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Doctor Who. In fact I hardly own any merchandise, yet… Yet.

 **Chapter Two: Lussonia**

On a cliff overlooking the glinting city of Tsunowa, a blue box materialized with a wheezing groan. The doors were thrown open nearly as quickly as they solidified, a man in pinstripes standing proudly in the entrance.

"Lussonia! A desolate wasteland, but rich in ore and minerals! We're here approximately… oh… 4,546 years after colonization. Down there is the sparkling capital city of Tsunowa. No, really, it sparkles! Each and every building is nothing more than metal crafted from locally mined ore and glass blown from the very crag we're standing on! The Lussonians are amongst the most technologically innovative and scientifically progressive peoples in the universe! Despite the lack of food and renewable resources, the sheer quantity of ore and chemical components found on this planet has allowed a really quite impressive scientific industry to flourish," the Doctor nattered on.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it, Spaceman," his ginger companion said, nudging the Time Lord out of the doorway so she could take in whatever it was he was going on about.

"… So?" the Doctor urged after a moment of silence.

Donna Noble rolled her eyes towards him with all the sass she could muster. "Really? You couldn't have parked us any closer?"

Her pilot let out a booming laugh at the cheek and set off at a brisk stroll towards the road leading into Tsunowa. With yet another eye roll, the ginger woman quickly followed, being sure to smack the alien on the arm.

* * *

"So one of the more fascinating things about Lussonia, well, not that _all_ of the things about this planet aren't fascinating, I mean, it's completely dependent on outside intervention, yet totally immune to trade and legal regulations of the supplier planets and governments. Imagine that, Donna! A planet brimming with the smartest, most inventive members of dozens of species, just given free rein to build, experiment, and research as much as they wish! Beautiful! The possibilities are endless!"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, Martian boy. It's a nerd-fest."

"Oh, you have no appreciation for the shear brilliance of this place. The real festival should be starting here soon, though!" the Time Lord rambled on excitedly.

The pair had hitched a ride with a driver transporting quarried ore into the capital and were presently meandering about what passed as downtown, judging by the number of people milling about. Donna was allowing the constant babble as it let her have the opportunity to take in their surroundings at a much more leisurely pace. Just as she had seen from the TARDIS, Tsunowa was pretty much entirely built of some sort of glass and highly polished metal. Transport within the city was apparently provided by several series of moving platforms high above the heads of the pedestrians below. While the population was indeed diverse, Donna noted a fairly significant majority of the residents were humanoid with a bluish hue to their skin. Their heads were elongated and strongly reminded her of the Zora from the old Zelda games her old colleague Tyler used to play at work when she was sure no one was looking. Temping allowed plenty of opportunity to people watch.

"They're native home was Mondas*, if I remember correctly. 'Course, their ancestral cousins were reason enough to flee the planet. I can't say I blame them…" he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck. Some 5,200 years later, they had evolved into what they are now. As they were the first to land with the intent to colonize Lussonia, they are credited by having adopted the name as their own," the Doctor told her, noticing Donna's staring. "Their skin reacts to different chemicals by changing color on contact. Think of it as a more informative, universal litmus test. Very convenient when experimenting with new substances. As a bonus—see the metallic claws at the tips of their fingers?—the locals apply those at birth to aid in more precise workmanship." Donna nodded in understanding.

They walked along a little further, turning down a quieter alley, before the Doctor lunged forward, yanking a poster off a nearby wall. "Lookie here! The 2,394th annual Festival of Scientific Discovery and Innovation. Oh these are amazing! Every scientific and research-based society, company, organization, and independent dabbler attends these fairs. Everyone who is anyone in the scientific community provides an exhibit at the festival to display their discoveries, innovations, or current projects. What a place," he trailed off with a pleased smile.

Donna snatched the flyer from the giddy Time Lord. "Well," she started, gesturing at the page, "you actually managed to land us somewhere on time. It starts in seven days according to this."

A passerby tapped the ginger on the shoulder. "Actually, miss, those were posted five days ago," the Lussonian interjected. "The festival starts in two days. Where have you been not to notice?" he muttered, moving on down the street.

"Weeeell that's even better then!" the Doctor spouted cheerily. "Now, my dear Donna, what a perfect place to perform nefarious deeds! While there are restrictions in the name of social wellbeing and general regulations against harmful tests, they are much easier to find a loophole in here than elsewhere. Whoever is causing whatever it was that alerted the TARDIS could be using the festival as an excuse to execute their plans in the name of science! Clever, very clever…" he murmured, stroking his jaw. "Now!" he rubbed his hands together excitedly, "Time to gather some information, don't you think?"

"Information? Are you not here for the festival?" a soft, youthful voice called out from behind the pair.

Turning, Donna and the Doctor saw a young Lussonian silhouetted in the entry of the alleyway. In his small, clawed hands was a leash connected to some kind of six-legged creature that Donna could only guess was the local version of a dog. The beast seemed to glow faintly with an aqua light from the patches of skin not covered by slithering lines of short black fur. Its blue-violet eyes lacked any kind of pupil, and seemed to stare blankly at the time travelers with an intensity that put the redhead on edge.

"Is that a Quaniki? Oh, she's gorgeous!" the Doctor exclaimed, stepping forward to get a closer look at the dog-thing. He halted at the growl which spewed forth, sounding for all the world like vibrating church bells. "Ah, right, Quaniki are fiercely protective and territorial of their owners, especially the much larger females. Sorry about that."

"She is called Kora, strange man, and I am her friend, not owner. Who are you, who knows so much about this new being?" the child asked with suspicion.

Donna stepped forward as the Doctor opened his mouth. "Sorry about him. My name is Donna and he's the Doctor. What's your name?" she enquired, offering her hand.

Something in the boy's dark eyes flickered as he touched her skin lightly with a single finger. "Donna… you are so very far from home… So sure of your own unimportance, yet so entwined with what is to come…" Kora's eyes flashed a deep gold for just a moment, Donna was unsure if she had imagined it, and nudged the boy's outstretched arm. Shaking his head, he pulled back. "Sorry, that was rude of me. My name is Tarinoccaopthulmu, but you, Donna and the Doctor, may call me Tarin. Are you here for the festival?"

The Doctor eyed the boy with curious eyes, shooting his companion a pointed look. "Yes… I suppose we are." He resumed his usual cheery tone. "So, Tarin, have you noticed anything out of the usual these past few days?"

Tarin turned his gaze to the man in pinstripes. "No, not in the past few days." Turning on his heel, Tarin left the alley, trailed closely by Kora.

"Hey! Hold on a minute!" Donna made to follow the pair, but was stopped by the Doctor's hand on her elbow. "What? You're just going to let them leave? You can't be serious."

"Let them go, Donna. He gave more information than you realize," the Doctor said, contemplation clear on his face. "Let's go." Together, the pair strode out of the alleyway and down the street. After nearly ten minutes of walking, the Time Lord finally answered his friend's pointed glances. "Tarin is a true rarity amongst the Lussonians. They are a species bound by logic, practicality, and scientific truths. However, historically speaking, about .2% of the race are less ruled by the truths of scientific and mathematical certainty and are born with the ability to know beyond what can be proven. Call it the 'sight' for simplicity's sake. Now, naturally, just as on your planet, those who claim the ability to see the future or just 'know' things are ridiculed and shunned as crazy. Such a practice is also prevalent here. From birth, those who reveal this disposition are trained to suppress and control that part of them at all costs. For Tarin to openly speak without any hesitation at his age, he is either severely uneducated, or his 'sight' is extremely strong. As I'm sure you've gathered, it is clearly not the first case."

"But, why did you let him go then, if he was so important?"

"Simple," the Doctor blurted, stopping in front of the door to a smaller building. He winked. "I didn't." Knocking thrice, the metal door opened to reveal the object of their conversation. "Hello again, Tarin."

"What do you want?" the boy asked resignedly.

"To amend my earlier question. Have you noticed anything out of the usual in the past few months?"

Tarin gave a small, knowing smirk and stepped out of the entranceway. "Come on in, then."

* * *

"Sir?"

"Yes, Ferrin. What news have you of our latest project?"

"W-well, Sir," Ferrin stuttered, "the patient actually lost consciousness. It seems the increase in the experiments' intensities caused an adverse reaction in the subject. Still, though, their regenerative systems are preforming at the usual accelerated rates."

"I see," he trailed off, clearly displeased.

"Oh! But that is not all, Sir! Aside from the loss of consciousness, there was another development," Ferrin blurted out, hoping to please his superior. "When the Keepers approached the patient to return it to its room, a glowing, yellow projection of a quadrupedal beast was released from the patient's chest cavity. The beast began circling the patient as if it were protecting it. I t-thought it best to recall the Keepers and keep all personnel away from the patient until we can determine what that thing is and what it may do."

His superior sat back in the plush chair behind the desk that separated them. "I see…" He trailed off contemplatively. "Well, Ferrin," he tented his fingers on the desktop, "the festival is in two days. This is a start, but is far from enough. Remember, progress is top priority, Ferrin. You would do well to remember that." Standing, he spoke again. "That will be all for today, Ferrin. You are dismissed."

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Again, please review to let me know how I did and if I kept your interest. As I stated earlier, I will try to keep to some sort of a schedule to have consistent updates. As always, l** **et me know what you think and feel free to give me opinions and ideas for how I can improve either the story or the characterization. Thank you!**

 **Carmen**

 ***Bonus points to anyone who can tell me the significance of this planet**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: So plans went awry. I intended to update prior to leaving for two weeks on vacation, but clearly I failed. Upon returning to the States, (where I'm from,) I finally purchased a new laptop, but do not have Microsoft Word so I'm using Open Office for now. Ugh... Also, family stuff happened, school stuff happened, but I'm back on it now. Due to my not having posted the third chapter before leaving, I dedicated my time on the plane rides to writing most of this and it's longer than normal, at least slightly. Not quite sure how this turned out, honestly, not my favourite chapter, but at least it's up.** **  
** **  
** **Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. In fact I hardly own any merchandise, yet… Yet.** **  
** **  
** **Chapter Three: Developments**

Tarin cast a glance at the slightly swaying, ginger haired female known as Donna. With a slight sigh, he spoke to her. "Come, you are tired. You may rest in the bed the back. I will not need another resting phase for two more cycles."

At Donna's bemused look, the Doctor leant down and whispered, "Lussonians only sleep about three to four times a week. Go on and get some shut eye. I don't sleep as much as you humans do either. I'll try to figure out what I can for tonight and fill you in when you wake up." With a dazed nod, Donna followed the direction Tarin was pointing and disappeared deeper into the building.

A semi-awkward silence stretched between the two remaining men until Kora's—who had been lying quietly on a cushion in the corner—eyes flashed gold and she let out an otherworldly howl that chilled the Doctor to the bone.

"Kora!" Tarin exclaimed, rushing to kneel next to his beloved companion. The Doctor followed suit, dashing to the beast's side, but at a loss for what to do as there was no outward trauma. It did not seem to matter, however, as Tarin had already flung his arms around his friend and pulled her close. "Kora! It's not real! It's not you! You're safe!" the boy yelled over the ongoing bay. After a few tense minutes, the Quaniki's eyes faded from the violent gold to their normal deep purple. As the glow faded, so did the howl. Eventually, Kora had calmed and simply whimpered softly in Tarin's arms.

"Is she okay?" the Time Lord asked after a minute.

"Y-yeah," the Lussonian stuttered, clearly shaken. "It's happened every night recently, but never this bad…" he trailed off, feeling the Doctor's scanning gaze.

"I think it's about time you fill me in on what exactly has been happening lately, Tarinoccaopthulmu. I might be able to help."

With a hesitant glance, Tarin sighed. "Where do I begin?"

"Let's start with why a clearly educated Lussonian boy of approximately 16 years is living on his own at the edge of town with a Quaniki as a pet."

"She's not a pet, Doctor. As I said, she is my friend. As for why I am here, I'm sure you can guess. It was discovered shortly after my birth that I had been a recipient of the Curse, the proclivity for knowing what should not be known. My maternal and paternal figures were of the high ranking class. They viewed me as a smear upon their name. The accidental fourth son already held little value within such a family. To be one of them, the cursed, might as well have been a smack in their faces. Still, my mother held hope that I could grow out of it, that it might have been a mistake." He paused, contemplatively. "She always was a foolish creature.

"Anyway, because of my mother's urging, I was kept and educated like the rest of my siblings. Though I continually performed better than my brothers, my father never acknowledged me as a being. The best tutors were hired to teach me control. For a time, their methods worked. I quickly learned to suppress the visions and influx of knowledge. However, about a year ago, that control shattered. I do not know why, but in the middle of a public gathering I was overcome with a new apparition. The spectacle I made was dire enough to insight the gaze of my father for the first time in years, and with the acknowledgement came his wrath."

Tarin raised his eyes to meet the Doctor's. "I was stripped of my name and thrown out that night. I wandered the streets, attempting to seek a roof for the night, but the sight I had made earlier had been large enough to curb any generosity. I resigned myself to wandering the alleyways for the night. After a week or so, I found this place abandoned and broken enough so that no one would wish to renovate." A mischievous glint entered his dark eyes. "Will that answer suffice, old one?"

"Oh, I'm not that old, not really." The pinstriped man chuckled, scratching his neck.

"Not in appearance, no, but those eyes betray lifetimes of experience and pain. You are not the happy man you masquerade as, are you, Doctor?"

The laughter trailed off, the brown haired man leaning his back against the wall. The Doctor leveled his gaze on Tarin. "Maybe so, but there is more you have not said. What of her?" he asked, tilting his head in the direction of Kora. "Quaniki are the one native living species of this planet. Though, in all honesty, their numbers were always dreadfully slim."

"I found her about four months ago. I had fled to the nearby quarry to escape some of my… old friends… and heard a hauntingly beautiful, but sad howl. I followed it into a partially concealed alcove and found her. Her eyes were glowing golden, and she remained hostile for about an hour. I chose to simply rest outside. She was too beautiful for me to just leave. I must have dozed off, because when I awoke again, she had approached me with purple eyes and had curled herself around me as I slept. The rest, as they say, is history," he said, fondly stroking Kora's neck and back. "With as protective as she has been with me, Doctor, I must admit I wonder what happened to lead her to such solitude."

The Doctor swept his eyes over the sleeping beast. "It is possible she was outed from the role of alpha of her pack. It is possible she had lost her litter and fled to mourn. It is possible that she is in the same situation as yourself," the Doctor murmured, bringing his eyes back to the boy.

"What do you mean?"

"It is possible she too was driven away for being different," he said sagely.

"Why do you think that?" Tarin's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"Tarin, Quaniki eyes don't glow gold. There is something more at play here. Now," the Time Lord stood and pulled out a pair of glasses, "I am going to ask again. Have you noticed anything unusual in the past months?"

Tarin snorted acerbically, stood, and began to pace as he spoke. "I may be scum in the eyes of my people, Doctor, but I am far from stupid. The day before I found Kora, there was a disturbance of some kind in one of the villages nearby. According to the newspapers released over the following days, someone was taken into custody after they failed to produce the necessary legal papers. That's all fine and good. Trans-planetary travel is regulated for a reason, after all. However, I had seen the enforcement carts enter the city and drive right past me. They certainly weren't headed to the depot. The route the car took seemed to be aimed for the Lab District on the opposite side of town."

"Lab District? Chemical labs? Nutritional labs?"

The boy shook his head sadly. "The Lab District houses the nine companies that deal in experimentation and a few of the shadier projects that are on the fringes of legal. Those who work there aren't very well respected amongst common society unless they discover some big revelation… though their presentations at the festivals are always interesting and well attended."

The older man spent a moment in silence, absorbing and reflecting on this information. Big Time Lord brain of his, it only took a moment. He was beginning to think Donna's declaration of him having finally landed them somewhere on time was wrong. "Tarin, exactly how far away is the village all this started in?"

"Maybe an hour, I'd say. The cables don't go out that far, but I have a few scrapped machines for transport I've stripped and fixed."

The Doctor smiled. "Sounds great, Tarin, my boy!"

* * *

When Donna finally wandered out from the back rooms, running her fingers through her hair in a vain attempt to tame it. Giving up, she threw herself blearily down on a chair at the small table. Mercifully, a slightly chipped mug with steaming tea was placed in front of her. Greedily snatching up the cup and inhaling the aroma with relish, the irritability and drowsiness drained as quickly from her form as the tea from the mug. Letting out a happy groan Donna wiped the sleep from her eyes and looked up at the apron the Doctor was wearing. "Forgive me, Spaceman, but I'm gonna pass."

The cheeky smile on the man in question's face slipped off as he glanced down at the "Kiss the Cook" apron wrapped 'round his waist. "Oi! I'm not that bad am I?"

"Too skinny for my tastes, mate." She winked.

"Oh bah your tastes. I'm rather fond of this body, m'self. Now!" The Doctor pulled up a chair across from his companion. "Let's get you up to speed."

* * *

Two hours and three full bellies later, Tarin lead the Doctor and Donna into the tiny town of Yogunada.

Donna glanced around curiously. The Lussonians who dominated the capital city were scarce here. This lot looked almost human, except for a magenta tinge to their skin. Despite every structure being made of metal, the village still managed to give off that conservative, small-town feel. The women were clothed from the neck down with heavy, draping fabric. The men wore some kind of thick linen trousers and long sleeved tunics. The storefronts all looked gently weathered and the road was paved only in loose gravel. It looked like an alien take on an American old west mining town. Suitable, she supposed as Tarin pointed out that Yogunada was a mining town. What the ginger could not get over was the pointedly judgmental stares the boys and herself were getting.

Oblivious to the scrutiny as ever, the Doctor immediately strode up to a couple of men finishing drinking their morning beverage of choice. Donna shot an apologetic look at the young boy beside her and followed.

"…told you, man, we don't know nothing."

"Oh, come now, surely you know what I'm talking about?" the Doctor pushed back, trying to be as charming as he could voluntarily.

"Yes, we know," the other man muttered, "but we're not gonna be talking about that. Bad signs, the Orgor says. Best to leave it be, I says." His companion raised his glass as if to toast to that statement.

"Here, here! 'Sides, whoever she was, she was trouble with a capital 'T'."

The second man sharply elbowed the first pointedly. The Doctor's eyes, however, gained a distinctive glint that Donna recognized quite well. He wasn't going to let that one go. With a growing smile, he prodded. "So what was so troublesome about her? Can't say I can picture any of these well mannered women causing any sort of trouble."

He took the bait. "She wasn't from here, obviously." His partner walked away muttering about decent conversation. "Never seen someone like 'er. Must've been city folk, like yourselves."

Donna stepped forward, unable to help herself, recalling the pointed looks the party were receiving. "An' what's that supposed to mean?"

The man shot her a look that so clearly meant 'are you daft or something?' "Other than her incessant rambling of nonsense, her garments were so…" he struggled to find the right word, "shameless. Her trousers," he directed a brisk glance at Donna's own jeans before returning to her face, "lacked any pretense of modesty in their cutting. Her hair was untamed and she acted so very aggressive towards good Holdanta who offered to take the offensive garments in exchange for more honest ones. I think it was her son that called the Enforcement. When they arrived, the beastly girl started grabbing at the device on her wrist, shouting at it. Quite the ruckus she made too. Took a tranquilizer to finally subdue her." He finished his drink with a generous gulp and tossed the mug into a bin at the side of the porch. "But, as the Orgor said, she must'a been a bad omen. Thank the stars she's gone now."

As he walked away, the Doctor let out a considering "Hmmm…".

* * *

The silver door smashed into the office wall, startling the man inside. Setting his phone down with a simple, "I'll call you back," the occupant glared at the intruder. "Gods, Ferrin! This had better be good! That was one of our largest sponsors I just hung up on."

"O-of course, Sir. Sorry, Sir. It's just... there has been a development with patient 2145636," Ferrin stammered.

"Oh? And pray tell, boy, what news have you?"

"Though the subject has yet to wake from whatever coma they've placed themselves in, the apparition has not dispersed. When two of our scientists approached the pair, the beast lashed out."

The elder man leant forward, tenting his fingers on the desk between them. "Were there any injuries?"

"A-actually, Sir, our men, for lack of a better term, seemed to disintegrate on contact with the creature. We attempted to subdue it remotely, but the tranquilizers passed straight through it. It also seems that gaseous sevoflurane does not work either, as it had on the patient itself. I have personally ordered the room a high-risk, high-security zone. No one is to enter without express permission."

Ferrin's superior sat back in his seat and mulled over this new development for a few long minutes. Finally, he announced, "I wish to see the anomaly myself."

Ferrin bowed respectfully, muttering, "Yes, Sir. Right away, Sir." Straightening back up, he stuttered out, "O-od course. Please follow me."

Together the pair left the office and maneuvered their way down the twisting labyrinth of walls and rooms. Eventually, they came upon a hallway both knew to house the more... _controversial_ testing. There at the end of this paranoia-inducing hall, two armed guards stood watch. The men continued down the corridor, the clicking of their heels drowned out by the strange sounds, cackling, scraping, wailing, and the distinct hiss of gas emanating from behind the numerous metal doors lining the path. When they arrived in front of the guards, the armed pair gave a swift salute and shifted to the side of the final door. Ferrin's companion stepped forward and lifted the built in observation window on the door.

Silence rang loudly between the men, despite the relative noisiness of the hallway. The older man spent a solid five minutes simply watching whatever was unfolding within the room beyond. Seemingly satisfied by what he had seen, he closed the window once more. Turning to the rather antsy, fidgeting Ferrin with a growing, greedy grin he spoke. "Make the arrangements, Ferrin. _This_ we can present at the festival." Pulling himself up to his full height, he announced, "You are relieved of your other duties for today. Put your full effort into preparing the patient for display."

"Yes, Sir."

The pair walked back to where they had come, leaving Patient 2145636 behind. As the guards resumed their positions in front of the door, what lay inside let out an ethereal, bone chilling howl.

* * *

Back in Tsunowa, a man who goes by "the Doctor", a woman by the name of Donna Noble, and a boy called Tarinoccaopthulmu had grabbed a late lunch as they processed what they had learnt.

Having finished his own meal first, the Doctor had decended upon Tarin, grilling him for everything the boy knew about the Lab District and what goes on there. Sadly, Tarin seemed to know very little. Most of the experiments and procedures carried out there were kept and performed under the tightest security and secrecy as a means of protecting the companies' rights to conduct their tests. After all, you cannot disparage what you are not aware of.

At around question 73, Donna figured it was time she rescue the poor boy. "Oi! Spaceman! Let the boy finish his meal."

The Doctor shook his head and turned to look at the ginger woman, apparently only just remembering her presence. Clearing his throat and tugging shyly on his ear, the Time Lord stopped the barrage of questions. "Eh-hem... Er... Right you are, Donna Noble. My apologies, Tarin."

"It's fine, Doctor."

* * *

As the brightest of Lussonia's twin suns began to set, the time traveling duo and their friend were picking their way back to Tarin's home.

They had been firmly turned away from the Lab District gates by, in the Doctor's personal opinion, incredibly rude and unfriendly armed guards. Not even his last piece of psychic paper permitted them entry. _Apparently_ , the protocols dictated that no one is to enter unaccompanied by a worker, all of which the guard staff know the faces of. Not even the Doctor's frankly magnificent gob could wheedle his way inside the fenced zone. Finally, after two hours had passed and the three investigators still standing outside the walls of the district, Tarin became concerned about Kora and Donna managed to convince the Time Lord to simply wait for the festival the next day.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Whew... At least it's done. The next one has been planned out for a while now so it shouldn't be too long at all before it's out. As in, I'm hoping to have it up within a week. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think. Tomorrow is the festival and it's sure to be interesting. ;) Thank you for reading, and as always, please review!**


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